Chapter 100

In the courtyard, there was another male comrade about the same age as Zeng Shunxing. He was currently squatting on the ground, counting items in several baskets. Judging by the look of it, he was Zeng Shunxing’s business partner.

“Qiao Laidi said you have channels to get brand-new bicycles, fans, and other such goods. How do you want us to cooperate?” After closing the door, Zeng Shunxing asked directly, “How much stock can you get?”

“How much stock depends on what goods you want,” Qiao Xinyi replied. She only had the money in the system, and if she took all bicycles, the quantity would definitely be smaller.

“I supply you with goods; who you sell them to and at what price is your business. We do cash on delivery—I don’t provide credit,” Qiao Xinyi said. “I can guarantee the goods I provide are exactly the same as what’s sold in the department stores—new and good quality.”

“Fans, sewing machines, radios, and bicycles—whatever the department store sells, I’ll give you the same price. Don’t think it’s expensive. I don’t require receipts here. How much you can sell for depends entirely on your own skill.”

For example, a bicycle sells for between 150 to 180 yuan in the department store, and you need a receipt. Even with a receipt, you might not get the goods. Even with money and a receipt, you might still not be able to buy one—it depends on luck. These items are in high demand; getting the receipts is not easy, and these receipts are especially valuable on the black market.

So the price Qiao Xinyi quoted was something she felt was very fair. If she didn’t want to be stuck dealing with the black market every day, and if she were doing the business herself, she could definitely make more money.

No need to mention fans—who doesn’t want a fan in their room in the hot summer? How nice is it to sleep with one blowing at night? Radios, sewing machines, and bicycles—these three big items are essential for getting married.

Qiao Xinyi didn’t have to find customers one by one. By wholesaling to Zeng Shunxing, she still made a 35% profit, which she was satisfied with.

Zeng Shunxing said, “Let’s go discuss in the back,” and took Lai Daguo, who was squatting and sorting the goods, with him.

After more than ten minutes, when the two of them came back, they handed Qiao Xinyi a handwritten list.

“We want five bicycles, ten fans, two sewing machines, and five radios to start with,” Zeng Shunxing asked, “When can we get the goods? Where do we pick them up?”

“For this amount, no need to wait. You can come pick them up here tonight.” Qiao Xinyi gave the address of her small shabby courtyard.

That place hadn’t started being torn down yet, and no one would be there recently. “Come after dark to pick them up. If I’m not there, wait for me at the door for a while.”

Qiao Xinyi’s words “no need to wait for this amount” made the expressions of Zeng Shunxing and the other man flicker slightly. Now they really believed their luck was good—they had indeed met someone with extraordinary connections.

So many goods, yet she described it as “just this little amount.” What does that mean? It meant this woman really had a lot of these good items in her hands.

Zeng Shunxing felt a bit excited inside.

Getting a bicycle from her at a cost price of 150 yuan, no receipts needed, then reselling it with a markup of thirty to forty yuan was no problem at all.

Many people had been asking him about these goods lately. The items he just ordered were ones he confirmed he could find buyers for.

Doing the math, after selling all these goods, he and his brothers would make in one go what they hadn’t earned in a whole month before. Thinking of this, Zeng Shunxing became even more polite to Qiao Xinyi and was also very grateful to Qiao Laidi. He thought to himself that recently, he hadn’t taken care of his sister’s classmate for nothing—Qiao Laidi thinking of him when good things happened was like a reward for his kindness.

Hearing this, Qiao Laidi asked, “Can you handle so much here? If not, I can take the two kids home first and then help you.”

Zeng Shunxing had suddenly ordered so many goods, and Qiao Laidi worried Qiao Xinyi might be overwhelmed.

“No need. Of course, it’s not just me; there are others helping,” Qiao Xinyi said casually, then explained, “I’m about to take a friend to inquire about something, so I’m not sure how long it’ll take. That’s why I said if I’m not back in time, you guys just wait for me.”

“Inquire about what?” Zeng Shunxing became interested. “I also have some connections for inquiries; maybe I can help you.”

Zeng Shunxing was trying to make a good gesture—after all, Qiao Xinyi had access to sources even he couldn’t get, so getting on good terms with her wouldn’t hurt.

“I have a friend who wants to find out where to get a fake household registration. When he was a kid, his family sold him to a very remote countryside. His foster parents treated him badly. Recently, he finally ran away. He doesn’t want to be sent back to the countryside and wants to stay in the provincial city, so he needs a household registration and a place to stay,” Qiao Xinyi did not hide the reality of the “big villain.” After all, with fake household registrations, if she didn’t explain clearly, others might be wary of getting into trouble—what if he was hiding from something serious?

Upon hearing this, Zeng Shunxing nodded repeatedly. “I have a friend who, in the early days of going to the countryside, was assigned to a very poor mountain village in Province G. He stayed there for half a year and couldn’t stand it. He tried many ways to apply for a transfer to a commune in the countryside. He told me that area has a lot of child trafficking.”

“Poor, remote places, tough local customs, and clan-based communities—the whole village is very united, making it hard for outsiders to fit in,” Zeng Shunxing sighed. Knowing about these poor souls being trafficked, he agreed to help.

“In our provincial city, the only person who can make fake household registrations is Uncle Hei. He charges fifty yuan per fake registration and pays a five-yuan commission to the middleman who introduces you. I know where Uncle Hei is now. I’ll take you there, and you can save five yuan.”

With Zeng Shunxing’s help with the introduction, Qiao Xinyi immediately agreed.

She borrowed a bicycle from Zeng Shunxing and went alone to a culvert near the train station. Because he still had some food and didn’t know when Qiao Xinyi would come for him, the “big villain” did not go to the train station today.

When Qiao Xinyi arrived riding the bicycle, he was sitting on a sack, weaving something with foxtail grass.

“Hurry and pack your things. I’m taking you to get your household registration,” Qiao Xinyi said, not getting off the bike but putting her foot down to urge him on.

“Right now?” The “big villain” grabbed the grass in his hands and suddenly stood up in disbelief. “It costs fifty yuan. You really want to help me?”

After a whole night and day of dazedness, he still felt like he was dreaming. He still couldn’t believe he was this lucky to meet someone so generous willing to help him for free.

“I’ve got the money. How could it be fake? I just happened to inquire about the person making fake documents. Someone will take us to meet that Uncle Hei,” Qiao Xinyi patted the bike’s back seat. “Hurry up, no time to waste. After your fake registration is done, I still have things to do.”

The “big villain” was sure he hadn’t told Qiao Xinyi about Uncle Hei yesterday, but now she mentioned it, proving she really knew who to go to for a fake registration.

He couldn’t hide his joy on his face, quickly rolled up the sack, tied it on himself, and jumped on the back seat of Qiao Xinyi’s bicycle.

He was going all in. He had nothing, a worthless life, nothing anyone would want. At worst, they would send him to the police to be deported back to the countryside.